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An investigation into the impact of acupuncture treatments on the stress levels of administrative staff at a nearby hospital was published in the Annals of Yoga and Physical Therapy. 58 participants in the study who had significant levels of work-related stress were included. The subjects received auricular acupuncture for eight weeks. The employees stated that their stress levels had fallen from high to moderate after the eight acupuncture treatments. According to the study, the body’s neurotransmitters are released during regular acupuncture treatments, which is thought to lower stress levels. This study and numerous others show that acupuncture can truly reduce stress levels and enhance general health.
Stress is defined as either pressure or tension exerted on an object or a state of mental or emotional strain resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances.
Here are some facts from the Global Organization for Stress:
One way to deal with stress involves the use of a 3,000-year-old medical system, known as Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM. TCM uses many different modalities or tools to treat the human mind and body. The most used modality is acupuncture and while acupuncture is still not widely accepted in the United States, it is gaining ground.
According to studies, consistent usage of acupuncture can lessen stress. A study that was published in the Journal of Endocrinology showed that electroacupuncture-treated rats had decreased levels of stress hormones like cortisol. The rats’ chronic stress hormones were inhibited by electroacupuncture. For people, it has the exact same effect.
Specific acupuncture points on the body are better for relieving stress and are used frequently by licensed practitioners. One of these points is Yin Tang. Yin Tang is located directly between the inner edges of the eyebrows and is a reflex point of the pituitary gland. Yin Tang calms the mind and relaxes the body by helping control hormone secretions.
Due to its location, Kidney 1 is another acupuncture point that can reduce stress but is less frequently employed. The junction of the anterior third and posterior two-thirds of the line connecting the base of the second and third toes and the heel marks the location of kidney 1 on the bottom of the foot. Although extremely sensitive, this point has remarkable qualities. In addition to controlling blood flow to the upper body region known as the brain, kidney 1 can sedate and calm the mind.
There are other tools TCM practitioners can use to relieve stress, such as cupping and herbs, although acupuncture and acupressure tend to work the fastest. Ask me to find out more!
Today we have access to more things to help us heal than at any other time in history, one of the first and most important steps to healing is making sure you’re getting enough quality sleep every night for the body to do its internal restorative work. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) yang qi is what keeps our minds and bodies busy during the day and at night it goes internal to help a deeper detox and repair the systems of the body while the yin qi takes over externally to rest our conscious minds and shut down muscle activity. This yin/yang trade-off, when working in balance, is the very foundation of good health according to TCM.
The nature of yin is cool and calm. It’s associated with calm, darkness, and stillness…all the relaxing sensations you get when you’re genuinely resting. A body in a yin state will slow down its heart rate and metabolism. In Biomedicine (Western Medicine), this relates to the parasympathetic nervous system. Its main purpose aligns with yin qi: to keep us calm and conserve energy. While the sympathetic nervous system is what switches on our fight or flight response and is more correlated with Yang qi. Yang is expansive, stimulating, warming, and gets us moving. In general, yang qi is more accessible during the day, while yin qi dominates the nighttime.
Sleep disturbances are one of the main manifestations of too much yang and/ or not enough yin. To correct issues like insomnia we need to look at how we are living in accordance with that natural balance.
1) Ingesting Too Much Yang: Before bed, or in general, spicy food, alcohol, or stimulants can disturb sleep. Spicy food and alcohol causes heat in the system, which creates excess yang in the body. Too much coffee also keeps yang qi stuck at the surface to be available for activity. Even just having a large meal before bed can block the yang energy from going deep in the body at night.
2) Too Much Activity/Excitement: The yang qi is needed deep on the inside of the body at night, don’t hold it hostage with outward energy requirements. Stop exercising at least 90 minutes before bedtime. This allows for endorphin levels and body temperature to return to levels that are conducive to sleep. Try not to argue before bed, or even get too excited. Give yourself time to wind down & transition.
3) You need to Cool Down: Literally. Yin is associated with coolness. To invite your yin qi to come out at night keep the bedroom temperature between 60-67℉.
4) Too Much External Stimulation: Lights, especially blue light from tv’s, phones and computer screens prevent melatonin release in the body, making it harder to fall asleep. If you need to finish work on a computer, wear blue blocker glasses or get a blue light blocking screen cover for your computer. Also, yin time should be quiet time, it’s recommended that all electronics should be turned off about half an hour before bed to help calm the mind before bed.
5) Too Much Stress, Not Enough Rest: We live in a yang-obsessed world. This creates stress as many of us are over-worked and over-stimulated, while not always having time for a healthy self-care practice (meditation, Tai Ch, etc.). This leaves us with a restless mind (‘disturbed shen’ in TCM terms), and can keep us lying in bed exhausted, but unable to sleep. The challenge is to resist the modern-day pressure to keep up and create more self-care time to support a more balanced lifestyle.
6) Feng Shui of the bedroom: A Feng Shui specialist can analyze the yin yang balance in your bedroom. For instance, the bed should be opposite the room’s door, but not directly in line with it (this is called the command position in feng shui). The headboard should be against a solid wall with balanced night tables on each side. It is also important to keep the area under the bed clear, not for storage. Many people find simple feng shui adjustments can have a perceptible effect on things like sleep and wake cycles.
In addition to these considerations for improving sleep, don’t forget the value of relaxing into a healing state on the acupuncture table. Acupuncture is a cost-effective self-care tool and can help reset your yin-yang balance for better sleep and overall health, call us today so we can help you get better sleep!
It’s difficult to slow down in today’s fast-paced environment. Everyday pressures are common, and while some stress is beneficial, too much can harm the body, both psychologically and physically. Work, family, finances, and everything else can all have an impact on your health. The following are some stress-relieving methods that are also excellent for your heart.
Not only is exercise a good way to relieve stress but is great for strengthening the heart as well. Try getting some sort of physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day. Focus on activities that get your heart pumping. Exercise will reduce your stress and improve your overall health short-term and long term.
It is easy to forget to give yourself time to relax when you’re busy taking care of others. Schedule time devoted to yourself and what relaxes and makes you happy. Go for a walk, read a book, or take a bath. These activities can calm you and clear your head.
Meditation and deep breathing as the power to slow your body and mind down. Try meditating for even just five minutes a day. Practice deep breathing to help lower your heart rate. When you’re feeling overwhelmed and handling too much, meditation is a great way to slow down.
Stress can lead to hazardous habits like binge drinking and smoking. Although these substances may seem to help you deal with the short term, the long-term consequences vastly exceed the short-term benefits. Both smoking and alcohol can cause heart damage. Turn to alternatives if you’re reaching for a cigarette or a drink and reach out to family and friends to help you break the habit.
Acupuncture is an effective alternative medicine that can help improve heart health as well as lower stress. By the specific placement of needles on acupuncture points, the treatment works to treat the entire body back to optimal health. Acupuncture can help reduce blood pressure, decrease stress, and improve sleep.
Massage therapy is another alternative treatment that is beneficial in lowering stress. The treatment has been shown to reduce heart rate, lower blood pressure and increase blood circulation. Through manual manipulation, massage can relax not only the body but the mind as well.
It can be hard to accept that things in life don’t go exactly as planned. Practice letting go of what you can’t control and accept that the future is unknown. It is easy to stress about the future. Remind yourself to live in the moment.
If you need help in reducing your stress and anxiety, call us today to schedule an appointment!
October has been recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness Month for more than 30 years. In the history of the condition, which has been around for at least 5000 years, this campaign to raise awareness and funds for study can be considered a recent undertaking. Cases reaching back to 3,000 BC are described in medical writings. Approximately 1 in every 8 women may get invasive breast cancer during her lifetime. (The lifetime risk of breast cancer for a man is approximately 1 in 883.) Educational efforts highlighting warning indicators such as breast enlargement or discomfort, nipple soreness, or pitted skin are used to promote early detection. Researchers in Western medicine have discovered hormonal, lifestyle, and environmental factors that may increase the risk of breast cancer, but the cause remains a mystery.
Chinese Medicine organizes causative factors into the following categories which can also interact in complex ways:
*Stagnation (liver qi): The liver oversees the moving of the qi in the body, dispersing stagnation caused by various influences (such as the other causative factors listed below). Emotional stress can cause a weakness in its capacity for qi distribution and regulation. The liver channel also connects directly with the breasts. Unchecked stagnation can cause dense tissue and masses to form.
*Heat: On a very basic level, heat in TCM can be likened to inflammation. This can be caused by internal or external influences. One of the main external influences that can lead to heat (and therefore inflammation) in the body are environmental toxins.
*Deficiencies: Both qi and blood deficiencies can contribute to the development of breast cancer. The immune system needs enough qi to target and remove abnormal (potentially cancerous) cells and regenerate healthy ones. A deficiency of blood can lead to stagnation if there is not enough blood to maintain vigorous circulation (picture a river during a drought). Also, a deficiency of spleen qi (related to digestion) often leads to dampness in Chinese Medicine.
*Dampness: One of the ways dampness expresses itself in the body is by the accumulation of excess fat. Also, dampness and heat combined usually generate ‘phlegm stagnation’ which can take the form of hardness, nodules, and tumors.
Luckily, the approach to prevention is not as complex as breaking down the causes.
Prevention tips:
Enjoy nutritious seasonal food to support the creation of new qi and blood.
Avoiding processed food will help to minimize toxic heat and dampness in the body and cut down on our body’s inflammatory responses.
Regular exercise helps us to maintain circulation and healthy weight while allowing us to sweat out toxins.
Filtering our air and water can help minimize our exposure to environmental toxins.
Liver detox teas and gentle cleansing protocols, especially during Spring (liver time), can be very beneficial in ridding the body of accumulated toxins and supporting the liver’s role in the free flow of qi.
Managing stress is critical. Target your biggest stressors in life and make changes to either remove them, limit them, or create better-coping strategies.
Massage and castor oil packs can be used preventatively to help avoid local stagnation, often found in fibrocystic (lumpy) breasts (though these direct approaches are usually avoided in the treatment of actual cancerous tumors).
Acupuncture and Herbs are wonderful tools for prevention and can also help to treat side effects of conventional cancer therapies (nausea, neuropathy, pain, etc.).
TCM’s approach to Breast cancer prevention is overall health promotion. Call us today to get in for some health-promoting acupuncture sessions, to help prevent cancer and other diseases, and feel your best!
The effects of stress on college students and staff in a “big urban college population” were studied at Arizona State University. The experiment consisted of a two-group, randomized controlled trial in which subjects were given either sham or verum acupuncture. The study involved college students, faculty, and staff from a large public university, and it was approved by the university’s institutional review board with each participant’s agreement.
Prior to the start of the trial, each participant completed the Cohen’s Global Measure of Perceived Stress questionnaire at five distinct points. The goal of this stage was to see how stress levels altered or didn’t change for each participant during the treatment.
The acupuncture points that were used within the study were as follows: GV 20 / PC 6 / HT 7 / Ying Tang / Four Gates / CV 17 / CV 6 / ST 36.
These points were given to the treatment group which was set to undergo verum acupuncture. Each group reported to the acupuncture clinic once a week for a 30-minute session.
The second group (considered the control group) received sham acupuncture in 3 points that are not known to have any effect on stress. These points on the body are located between meridians and were inserted unilaterally and without stimulation or manipulation to ensure that de qi would not occur.
After the study was completed, each participant was asked about their stress levels six, twelve, eighteen, and twenty-four weeks later. The verum acupuncture group reported a 45.8% reduction in stress perception between the first treatment and the 24th-week post-treatment. Between the start of the trial and the end of therapy, the sham acupuncture group had a 40.3 percent difference in stress levels. The sham acupuncture group, on the other hand, showed a decrease in stress scores three months after treatment.
To reduce the amount of error in the study, they “treated every participant with the same point combination, no matter what their underlying energetics may have suggested.” This was to keep the acupuncture points as consistent as possible to obtain the most accurate results possible.
The study found that acupuncture lowered stress in the study participants, but that a larger sample size might benefit in obtaining more statistically consistent results.
This study appears promising for determining the effects of reducing stress on university-goers through the treatment of acupuncture. However, further study and testing would be necessary for more conclusive results.
If you are having high levels of stress while in college and you are trying to find a healthy way of releasing it, call us today and see how acupuncture can help you release your stress and lead to doing better in school.
There are two little glands that sit on top of the kidneys are known as the adrenal glands. They’re a part of the endocrine system, which generates hormones that keep the body in check. Adrenaline, cortisol, and aldosterone are three essential hormones produced by the adrenal glands. Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, is a hormone that prepares the body to react quickly in stressful or life-threatening situations. Cortisol aids in the regulation of metabolism and the body’s response to stress. Aldosterone also aids in blood pressure regulation. Many disorders can arise when the adrenal glands aren’t functioning properly.
Despite the fact that most conventional doctors insist there is no such thing as adrenal fatigue, it is growing more widespread in the United States. Excessive and persistent stress, on the other hand, can deplete the adrenal glands over time. Even though most Western doctors reject that adrenal exhaustion is a real condition, it is impossible to dispute that stress plays a role in our bodies ability to grow and survive.
The adrenal glands create too much cortisol and adrenaline in response to stress, putting them in a permanent state of “fight or flight.” Poor sleep, weight gain, digestive problems, and chronic ailments can all be indications of this. Cortisol keeps the mind awake and reduces inflammation, and helps the body convert food into energy. This is why many persons who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia are likely to be suffering from adrenal fatigue and chronic stress.
Acupuncture is one of the tools in the TCM practitioner’s toolbox. Acupuncture stimulates acupressure points on the body with hair-thin needles. Acupuncture treatments have been found in studies to activate or stimulate the relaxation parts of the nervous system, often known as the parasympathetic nervous system. When the parasympathetic nervous system is activated, it aids in heart rate regulation, digestion, and sleep cycle balance. Many people who receive frequent acupuncture treatments fall asleep shortly after the needles are implanted.
Moxibustion is another TCM method that is regularly employed. Moxibustion is a technique that uses the herb mugwort to improve adrenal gland function and hormone balance. Mugwort is crushed and placed on various acupressure points before being ignited on fire. To prevent actual scarring, there are barriers between the herb and the body. Moxibustion can help with many of the symptoms that people with adrenal imbalances face over time.
The adrenal glands are frequently mentioned in TCM, and their functions are often linked to those of the kidneys. As a result, many of the spots that aid in the balance of the adrenal glands can be found along the energetic pathways of the kidneys. The acupuncturist can assist regulate the hormones released by the adrenal glands by stimulating these acupressure sites. The pericardium energy route is also important for balancing the adrenal glands.
With all of the stress that humans are subjected to these days, it’s likely that nearly everyone suffers from hormonal imbalances and adrenal gland insufficiency. This, however, does not have to be the case. To begin your journey to wellbeing, call today to schedule your TCM examination with me.
If you feel like you experience seasons where you just can’t catch a break and continuously fall ill, there are likely a few areas you may be shortcutting yourself and your immune system and a worse-than-usual flu season may not be, solely, where the blame should lie.
Below are 4 ways you could be weakening your immune system and how to combat that.
Not only is Vitamin D helpful in staving off or reducing your chances of getting cancer, but it also guards against colds and flu as well as helping to combat the risk of infection. So how do you get more Vitamin D if you feel like you’re not getting enough? From the sun! Not only does it provide our bodies with an adequate amount, but it also helps to balance Qi which helps nourish our Kidney Yang. This helps to give our body warmth, thus keeping our tissues and organs functioning properly. Not enough sun? Not to worry! There is a large variety of Vitamin D supplements that can be taken but be sure to consult with us and your doctor before use.
The National Heart Blood and Lung Institute state that “during sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development. The damage from sleep deficiency can occur in an instant (such as a car crash), or it can harm you over time. For example, ongoing sleep deficiency can raise your risk for some chronic health problems, including an improper balance of Cytokines. Cytokines are inflammation and infection targeting proteins both produced and released during sleep. In short, skipping the shut-eye can affect how well you think, react, work, learn, and even get along with others.
The National Sleep Foundation suggests the following sleep range based on your age:
Washing your hands is key in preventing illness or infection. Not only does the act of washing your hands’ matter, but the duration of how long you’re washing them for is important too! We have some disturbing statistics for you that will hopefully encourage you to take more time in the realm of hygiene. A few studies from the American Society of Microbiology and Michigan State University found the following:
One of the ways that your body heals itself is by producing T cells (a substance in your blood that fights infection). There’s a lot that’s impacted within your body when you become stressed. At a basic level, your body will release cortisol, which impairs T cell production and the ability to fight infection from foreign invaders. Being stressed directly impacts your immune system, so it’s important to find ways to relax! Another way to combat stress is by using Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupressure points! Yes! Acupuncture can absolutely alleviate stress and anxiety!
By activating specific points known to address these problems, we can actively effect positive change in one, emotional and mental wellbeing! Here are a couple of points that can be used:
For more educational content, follow us on social media or favorite our blog in your browser to stay up to date on the latest Traditional Chinese Medicine news and education. If you’re ready to start living a healthier lifestyle with Acupuncture and TCM, don’t wait, reach out to us and schedule an appointment today!
Acupuncture is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and is practiced in many different forms which include herbal remedies, cupping, and massage, which have all been used for thousands of years. The basis of TCM is the idea of qi, the body’s vital energy.
TCM treatments promote the movement of qi throughout the body in order to help bring balance back to the body. The goal of acupuncture is to correct this imbalance which can cause a variety of ailments and conditions that you may currently have.
Acupuncture uses very thin needles (which have been compared to being as small as cat whiskers) that stimulate pressure points and other areas of your body. It stimulates qi by placing needles in specific spots, often along meridians. Meridians are the channels that Qi travels in the body.
Acupuncture can help with many health conditions, including:
Below are the top five ways that acupuncture can help
1. Relieves Pain
Acupuncture can help alleviate many types of pain that may range from headaches and migraines to neck and back pain. These studies have shown its effectiveness in treating lower back pain, migraines, tension headaches, and knee pain. Acupuncture works differently for everybody. For some, a single treatment can alleviate symptoms for several months while others need a more routine treatment schedule.
2. Improved Sleep
Another thing that Acupuncture can help improve is sleep and insomnia. Scientists believe that acupuncture increases the production of brain chemicals that promote relaxation, thus allowing for better sleep.
3. Uplift Mood
Acupuncture can help with improving mood, including helping with depression, stress, and anxiety. The needles from acupuncture treatment release endorphins in the body. Endorphins are hormones that provide a boost in mood, encouraging happiness and relaxation.
4. Help the Heart
Acupuncture is also good for your heart due to the relaxation and stress reduction that one achieves from the treatments, which are also known to reduce blood pressure. Stress and high blood pressure are commonly related to heart attacks and heart disease.
5. Support the Immune System
Research has shown that acupuncture can boost immune system function. The placement of acupuncture needles can release immune-boosting cytokines. Cytokines are messenger cells that regulate the body’s immune response. By triggering the immune system, acupuncture can help fight infections or illnesses like colds and the flu.
While this is not an exhaustive list of how acupuncture can help, if you deal with any of the above symptoms or think that acupuncture may be right for you- schedule an appointment with us! We’d be happy to support you in achieving your health care goals!
There are several acupressure points that are known to treat stress and stress-related symptoms. It’s important to understand that acupressure is not the only form of treatment and having a balanced diet, exercise regime and lifestyle will also decrease the chances of stress being a factor in your life.
ACUPOINTS The following five acupoints are known to help alleviate stress and other related symptoms.
LU 1—Zhong FuGV 24.5—Yin TangKI 1—Yong QuanLI 4—He Gus 36- Zu San Li
THE BREAKDOWN
Lu 1, Zhong Fu- This point is often used to treat vomiting, stops coughing, disperses fullness in the chest, stops the pain and regulates Lung Qi. It’s located in the upper chest in the space below the first rib, six cun from the midline. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Lu 1 regulates Lung Qi and stimulates the Lung Qi to descend. It also disperses fullness in the chest and stops coughing.
KI 1, Yong Quan, Bubbling Spring- This acupoint is located on the sole of the foot approximately at the junction of the second and third toes. Indications that this acupoint will aid you are if you’re experiencing headaches, dizziness, loss of voice, blurring of vision and so on. In TCM, this acupoint is known to subdue wind and empty heat, clear up the brain, and tonifies yin.
LI 4, Hegu, joining (Union) Valley- The LI 4 is known to treat swelling and pain of the eye, nasal obstruction, toothache, facial swelling, deafness, sore throat and much more. In TCM, it’s said to dispel exterior wind, stimulate the dispersing function of the lungs, removes pain, and harmonizing descending and ascending functions. This point is located on the back of the hand at the apex of the webbed triangle between the thumb and the index finger.
ST 36, Zu San Li- This acupoint is often used to treat vomiting, stress and fatigue and gastrointestinal discomfort. This point is located along the outside of your shin bone about 4 finger lengths from the knee cap. You will know you’re in the right location because a muscle will mom out as you move your foot up and down. In TCM, this point is stimulated frequently to promote health and longevity.
GV 24.5, Yin Tang, Third Eye- This point is located about one finger above the point between the eyebrows and will be almost directly in the middle of the forehead. Working this point is said to calm the mind, clarify ideas and intuition as well as strengthen mental projection. It can be used to alleviate dizziness, stress, vertigo, sinusitis, and headaches.
TREATMENT Each of the above points can be used to aid in relieving stress and/or other symptoms that can cause stress. It’s helpful to bring a list to your Acupuncturist of any symptoms you may have or are looking to treat, any information will be helpful in curating your individualized treatment plan. Please communicate with your Acupuncturist if you are pregnant or looking to become pregnant as some pressure points may affect you.
Anxiety affects 40 million Americans that is nearly 18% of the population of adults. There are many different ways of dealing with it with anxiety from prescriptions from a doctor to over-the-counter herbal supplements. Here at Master Lu’s, we focus on treating Anxiety through Acupuncture and herbal medicine. Acupuncture is a great way to get anxiety to calm. In between treatments if you get an anxiety attack or if you are feeling just a little anxious, here are three acupoints that we recommend to help calm the anxiety.
Liver 3 is a point located between the first and second toes. If you slide your finger between the toes up until you hit the junction of the two bones, you will find a very tender spot. This is a great point for so many things: irritability, headaches, TMJ, anxiety…the list goes on. If you think about these four issues, they all have one thing in common: they result from the energy in the body rising upward. Liver 3 is a very grounding point. It channels the energy downward. When we are in a state of anxiety, it’s so hard to get out of our heads, but this point will help.
Pericardium 6 is a point that is commonly used for stress and nausea. You have probably seen the bands some pregnant women use around their wrist for morning sickness. These are designed to put pressure on this point, quelling the queasiness. The point is located between the two tendons on your wrist, two fingers up from the wrist crease. Pressing on it is immediately calming. It helps to open the chest, as well, so if your anxiety comes with a side of chest tightness or shallow breathing, this is your point.
Stomach 6 isn’t typically on the top 10 list of acupuncture points for stress, but it is my favorite. If you clench your teeth, you can find it by going one finger width anterior and superior to the angle of the mandible at the belly of the masseter muscle. Like many people, I hold a lot of tension in my face and jaw. Massaging this point creates an instant release for me. Once I feel the muscles in my face release, it brings a sense of relaxation into my entire body. Try it for yourself, it feels great!
